I think that by the grace of God you have no need of any other persuasion after the conversations that I personally had with you, persuading all of you to accept a common life in imitation of the apostolic way of life, which you accepted as good instruction and thanked the Lord for this.

In this way, each of you, both for himself and for the advancement of your brother, will receive a perfect reward, to the acquisition of which you must all help each other in word and deed in unceasing conversations and persuasions. Above all, I urge you to keep in mind the faith of your fathers and not to hesitate at the suggestions of those who try to seduce you in your silence; for you know that even the strictness of life, not enlightened by faith in God, is not useful in itself, and right faith without good works is not able to place us before the Lord, but that both must be together, "that the man of God may be perfect" (cf. 2 Tim. 3:17), and that our life may not be tempted by lack of anything; for faith saves us, as the Apostle says, "by love we are hastened" (Gal. 5:6).

288 (296). To a widow

(He apologizes for keeping her hinnies for a long time, and gives her and her daughter her useful instructions)

Guessing about your disposition towards me and knowing the zeal that you have for the work of the Lord, lately I have trusted in you as in my daughter, and for a long time I have had your hinnies in my use; he used them, it is true, sparingly, as if they were his own, but at the same time he extended the time of their service. This should have been written to your sedateness, so that in what you have done you may see a proof of benevolence.

But at the same time I remind you by this letter of your splendor to remember the Lord and, always having before your eyes the departure from this world, to arrange your life in such a way as to give an answer to the infallible Judge and for your good deeds to have boldness before Him Who on the day of His visitation will reveal the secrets of our hearts.

I greet thy noblest daughter through thee, and beseech her to spend her time in teaching the words of the Lord, that her soul may be nourished by good teaching, that her mind may grow and enlarge more than the body grows by nature.

289 (297). К одной вдове

(Поощряет ее к благочестивой жизни и поручает ее попечительству женщину, доставившую письмо сие)

И по старости лет, и по искренности духовного расположения, признавая себя весьма обязанным посещать твое несравненное благородство во время личного твоего присутствия и не оставлять отсутствующую, но недостаток свидания восполнять письмами, поелику нашел эту женщину, которая может доставить письмо твоей честности, то приветствую тебя чрез нее, паче всего поощряя к делу Господню, чтобы Святый Бог, досточестно продолжая дни твоего пресельничества «во всяком благочестии и чистоте» (1 Тим. 2:2), соделал тебя достойною и будущих благ. Потом поручаю тебе и упомянутую выше дочь мою: приими ее, как мою дочь и свою сестру, и в чем потребует совета у твоей благолепной и чистой души, не оставь своим участием и помоги ей, во–первых, в ожидании себе награды от Господа, а во–вторых, в успокоение мне, восполняющему меру любви к тебе по благоутробию Христову.

290 (298). К одному благочестивому человеку